+aiiiimmiiE]iiiiiiiiiiiiraiiiimiiiiiNi iiiiuiiiiiiiiiiitE3iiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiinEaiiiiiiiiiiiic« — — I | | Protest Against the j 1 Cruel War 1 I or | r-i — M Propaganda to Create a Strong | Public Opinion Against the War I by PETER FILO SCHULTE Scholar in Monistic Philosophy * * 2 1 i 3 2 j | | CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA | Published by the Author | 1916 | I 5:illlll!»UIUIIIII!llllllC3(lllllllllliailllllllllllC3IIIMinililC:i!!MIIIIIIIUII!IIHIIIIIC3IIIIIIIIIIIIC? Lord, what fools these mortals be! — Shakespeare. CONTENTS Page 1. Protest Against the War 5 2. The Sane Attitude For America to Take Toward the War 6 3. Are Wars Defensible? 10 4. Think , 12 5. Do the People Want War! 15 6. Facts and Figures About World-Life 18 7. The New World-Religion 22 8. The Ideals of Monism 27 9. A Few Words to Peace Advocates.. .....29 10. The Outcome of the War. Twenty Years Hence 32 11. How Permanent Peace May Be Attained. .35 12. A Prayer For Enlightenment and Peace ... '.XX-Z-Z^X 42 13. Monistic Ideals 43 Public opinion — expressed through the press and in speeches — is a dynamic force, which, if sufficiently strong, determines the actions of na- tions. If opinions were unanimous against the present cruel war it would not be. We earnestly ask the support of every person who receives this pamphlet to use his effort in words and writing to create opinions against the war. Papers and magazines are asked to publish extracts freely from this pamphlet. Those not agreeing with the Monistic view of life as pre- sented in this pamphlet are, nevertheless, asked to agree With the spirit of opposition to war. Forward, all ye faithful, Seeking love and peace, Hasten on the era When all wars shall cease. — M. K. Schermerhorn. minium mum urn mmiiiimiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiimmmiii iiiiiiiimmimmiimimmmiiiimimmiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiimimiiimiiiiiiiiimmimi mini mum m iiinini mi mum 1. PROTEST AGAINST THE WAR. TT rE peace advocates think America ought to make more effort to pacify the nations at war and bring this fearful and stupid war to a close. When "Nero fiddled while Rome burned ' ' we think of that as an abomination. For America to seek profit from the war, or to remain indifferent while the world is on fire, in which not only property is destroyed, but human lives by the hundred-thousands, is also an abomination. We pity the people of Europe. It grieves us to see that there is war among people we love. It makes us feel sad to see the appalling and gigantic amount of killing, suffering and misery. The evils of the war — the killing, mutilation, suffering, destruction of property and the misery and hardships that prevail are fearful and appal- ling and of gigantic magnitude. Life is not always too happy and pleasant under peaceful conditions, and there are an abundance of evils to overcome in times of peace ; but in the Great War the people of Europe are simply making things hellish for each other. War is not worth while. It is simply awful to think that millions of people, who deem themselves civilized, shoot at each other with guns and cannons to kill and destroy each other 6 like the most ferocious savages. We should not think it possible; we should think they would drop their guns and say, "Let us make peace; let us go home; life is too short and often too un- pleasant without making it worse." 2. THE SANE ATTITUDE FOR AMERICA TO TAKE TOWARD THE WAR.* EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article by Mr. Schulte is written as a denunciation of, war. It is impartial and non-partisan in its statements. The author favors an International Court for the settlement of disputes arising^ a- mong nations and an international police force to enforce its decrees. CONSIDERED from the standpoint of logic, an action can only be reasonable or un- reasonable. The whole war is unreasona- ble and stupid, and not only that, but terrible, horrible, hellish. For America to take any other but a neutral attitude would be unreasonable as the following consideration shows. That a supremacy of Germany would be more dangerous than a supremacy of England is non- sense, since one country is just as civilized or .u i* Th i. s ar ^ icle with the editor's note was published under the heading Unreasonable War in the August, 1916, issue of The World Court Magazine. 7 just as barbarous as the other; the percentage of people literate is high and nearly equal in both countries. A supremacy of England and a crush- ing of Germany would mean that England would be the ruling power over the seas and over a large part of the lands of the earth, and the United States would have to take a subordinate position. Germany ruling the seas would also be undesirable. Peace advocates are agreed that a balance of power is liable to become unbalanced at any time and lead to a crash. War can only be a- voided among the nations most advanced in civi- lization by making binding agreements or better by forming a binding combination. It is, there- fore, best if the war ends as a tie and that a com- bination or an international government be formed which shall control the seas. In this combination England, Germany and the United States would be the dominant nations. The Unit- ed States, in conjunction with other neutral na- tions, should try to induce the nations at war to make peace and form an equitable combina- tion where all nations will secure equal liberties on the seas and in international trade. The Unit- ed States should offer a plan for an international government acceptable to England and Germany into which these three nations may enter on equal terms. A combination of nations can be made bind- ing by the nations designating certain property, 8 territory and battleships as belonging to the na- tions in common and under the direct control of the International Government. To this common possession the United States, England and Ger- many should consign possessions of equal value, and the smaller nations, in proportion to repre- sentation. To this common possession should belong the international trade routes. For the European nations to continue the war is savagery. There can be no atrocity worse than the determination to continue the war, which means the continuation of atrocities, killing, mut- ilation and destruction. The sacrifice of life in the war is indefensible and irreparable ; the destruc- tion of property and ships and the cost are beyond recompense; why then continue this horrid fight? That the Germans and the English are one any more barbarous than the other is nonsense; that there is a difference of race between them is also nonsense. If England and Germany each claims that it is fighting for its civilization, both are in great error. The civilizations of England and Germany differ only slightly, and the war if con- tinued can only cause the destruction of the Euro- pean civilization and the European people. It is because England, France and Germany are so equal m race and so equally advanced in civiliza- tion and in technical knowledge that the war is so disastrous. The American press can influence with good effect and cool the ardors of the European people 9 at war by taking a neutral attitude and condemn- ing the faults on both sides for having produced the great catastrophe. Both sides are to blame for the war, and America had better let historians decide which side is to be blamed most. As long as the people of a nation think that they are entirely in the right and their enemies totally wrong they will remain in a fighting mood. One of the reasons for continuing the war, ap- pears to be that neither side wishes to make peace until their enemies are crushed. The English be- lieve that they must destroy German militarism; the Germans believe that they must conquer the Allies to secure peace in the future and prevent the recurrence of war. Now this is nonsense. A complete defeat of one side or the other means a tremendous sacrifice of life and property beyond reparation. To continue the war until one side is defeated means that most of the able-bodied men on both sides will be killed or crippled ! The security and peace of the future is prom- ised by the establishment of an international gov- ernment. To make peace in the future promising and to persuade the nations to consider peace terms, the United States, as a neutral nation, should take the lead and declare its intention seri- ously to join an international government and to work for the establishment of the same. Settling the war by coming to agreements is the civilized, the reasonable way; fighting it out is the unreasonable, the barbarous way. For the 10 Tinted States to try to settle the war by entering it would be the unreasonable, the barbarous way; to appeal to the reason of the people of the Eu- ropean countries and offer a plan by which per- manent peace may be secured (to the mutual bene- fit of all nations) is the reasonable way, and if the European people are reasonable they will listen. 3. ARE WARS DEFENSIBLE? THERE are writers who tell us that benefits and good results may come from wars. No longer has any one the impudence to tell us that benefits may result from quarrels and fights among individuals, but in thinking about national relations some people appear to be still in a stage of savagery. It is interesting to make an analogy between the benefits that result from wars and the benefits that result from quarrels among individ- uals. It is true that some people draw benefit from the present war, as, for instance, money lenders and the manufacturers of war materials. Possi- bly the United States may draw benefit from the war by capturing the trade of the European na- tions. "If two quarrel, the third may be glad," is a saying that may be true sometimes, but it is to be condemned as a moral precept. If I have two brothers and they quarrel, and one slays the other my share in my father's estate will be much larg- 11 cr. There are many people who secure benefit from illegitimate business and even from crime. There are people who are eager to "rake in" pro- fits over the graves of other people, but we may doubt whether such people are ever in a happy or peaceful state of mind. There can be no justifica- tion of the present war from the liioral standpoint. To speak of benefits of war is to use the logic of a criminal — of a giant criminal at that. Also some writers tell us that war stimulates the manly virtues ; as, courage, valor, self-reliance, self-sacrifice, etc. The good influence of war in this direction is very small and is greatly over- shadowed by the increase of the brutal and crim- inal instincts. War hardens the sympathy for the misery and sufferings of others. Even in those not engaged in actual fighting, the war stimulates hate and deadens sympathy, so that people get so accus- tomed to tragedies that they enjoy seeing them on the stage and in moving pictures. Sympathy or compassion for the sufferings of other people must be considered as the greatest virtue by those who believe in the spirit of brotherhood among men Sympathy is all too rare or there would not be so much brutality and lack of good-wdl among Pe ° P Courage is vicious when it is displayed for selfish aims or in destruction as in wars. Courage is virtuous only when it is displayed for the pro- tection of the just, the true, the good and the beau- tiful- 12 I 4. THINK. F people stopt to think what injury they inflict in war on others, endowed with feeling just like themselves, they would desist. In attempt- ing to kill others, men in the war also expose them- selves to the danger of meeting instant death. "You do not want to stop to think," said a Civil War veteran to me, who was, however, kindheart- ed in civil life. While those engaged in actual fighting cannot stop to think, lest they go raving mad, we should expect people not in the fighting to be able to think. Surely there is a way to avoid this slaughtering, in the present state of civiliza- tion, if we only try to understand the situation. Since the people in Europe are in a war and can- not stop to think, it behooves us in America to think. The philosopher Schopenhauer stated : < < The more life is perfected, i. e, advanced in the scale ol intelligence, the unhappier it becomes. Man who is capable of conceiving ideas suffers infinite- ly more than the ignorant brute "* ih» „ A f r f ^ m Pathy for his fellow men is f it n ° f thQ ! ma S inati ™ and the reasoning taculty. Courage m war means the suppression is cttV aCUlt r ° f intellect - Sn2^£S£ is certainly not a virtue p 0ftn i A i„ i J f «W not have the Zr* •Quoted from Weber's History „f Philosophy. 13 Every thinking intellectual person, who has sympathy for suffering humanity is filled with sad- ness and grief as he reads daily about the war and thinks of the number violently killed or mutilated, the shattered homes, the broken-hearted widows, the mourning mothers, the unprovided for child- ren, and so on and so forth. No more shall mangled corpses Strew the cursed battle plain While the tears of stricken women Fall like floods of scalding rain, And the nation's hands are branded With the bloody mark of Cain, For reason at last shall reign. — Virginia Journal of Education. Oh people of Europe ! We opponents of war do not ask very much ; we do not ask even that you follow the Golden Rule ; we only ask that you fol- low the ' ' brass rule " : "Do not do anything that will bring hardship or misery into the life of others ; for there is enough misery and suffering in life without making things more miserable-" To this we must add the disgraceful rule for sav- ages: "Do not kill others." The continuation of the war means the con- tinuation and aggravation of the killing, suffering and destruction. England, France, Germany and Austria-Hungary will still have to live together in 14 Europe after the war, as stated by Bernard Shaw, and the sooner they decide to live on peaceful and friendly terms the better. The war is not only murderous and destruc- tive, but also very stupid. What benefit do the people get from the war? Hardly had the war begun when the lists of the dead and wounded ran into the hundred-thousands. The young and strong and healthy men are killed, leaving the least fit to beget posterity. If not killed outright they are crippled for life or the hardships of the war leave them diseased. War costs enormous sums of money and leaves heavy debts ; besides an enormous destruction of property and waste of effort accompanies warfare. If this effort that is wasted in war, on armies and in the production of instruments of war, were directed to the produc- tion of articles of necessity and comfort, all peo- ple would be abundantly supplied with the things they require for a happy life. The most appal- ling disaster, however, is the destruction of valu- able lives, and the suffering of the men who have to go to war and the suffering of their dependants These things are apparent to everybody and it appears useless to dwell on them, since the people of no nation are willing to admit that they are re- sponsible, but claim and believe that they are fighting in self-defense. 15 5. DO THE PEOPLE WANT WAR? THAT the people want war is a misconception that prevails to some extent. It has been stated that people want war because of sav- age or blood-thirsty instincts, and that wars can only be abolished by overcoming these instincts by educating the people to see the horrors and wick- edness of war. If people really wanted war be- cause of pugnacity or blood-thirst I would say. "Let them go to war and satisfy their blood-thirst to their heart's content." But as things are, about ninety-five per cent or more of the people do not want war, and they deserve our profound sympa- thy. The five per cent (more or less) that really want war do not want it because of blood-thirst, but because they expect to make gains thereby. What pugnacity there is in people could be easily satisfied by allowing boxing and wrestling. Most people are aware of the dangers and horrors of war ; but the opinion prevails that war is a neces- sity to protect their nation, their independence and their homes. A potent cause which induces people to en- gage in strikes, revolutions and wars is a hard economic condition in which it is hard for working people to earn and provide themselves with the requisites and comforts of life- Between people of marked difference of race conflicts often arise which are irreconcilable. It is true that race wars have often been necessary 16 in the past. Such wars were those with the Amer- ican Indians. Eace wars have the justification that they are sometimes unavoidable when a high- er type of people and a higher civilization displace a lower. In the United States less than one mil- lion savage Indians could live, while probably about 300 million white people can live here. It is seldom that wars between people of the same race are justifiable. The European war is obviously not a race war. War is only necessary to repel the invasion of barbarous hordes ; the European war, however is only necessary as long as the people on both sides entertain the illusive opinion that it is nec- essary. The opinion should prevail that it is nec- essary for the European nations to co-operate. The mass of the people have no hand in shap- ing foreign policies and in deciding on wars ; but when a diplomatic break occurs thev are called upon to fight the war. They are told by agitators and a jingo press that foreign nations are plotting intrigues and that it is necessarv to fight for home and tor national independence. If this is true under present political organizations, then these organizations deserve radical improvement. In times of war independent opinions and opinions contrary to the prevailing are usually Z*1?T ' ? d T St ° f the men are fo ™ed under , ty t0 1 f lter the ^ ; thus it appears as if the people really wanted to slaughter each other. The people are engaged in a blind work of butchery ; 17 they really do not want to kill or cripple each other, destroy property, leave orphans and wid- ows and, in general, make life miserable. People, in general, no more desire wars than shipwrecks, train disasters or earthquakes. "In every nation, men believe they are fight- ing for the defense of home and country against wanton aggression, because they know that they themselves have not desired war, and they know or suspect the sins of foreign governments while they are ignorant of the sins of their own." — Quoted from "Justice in War Time" by Bertrand Russell. The people will begin to think independently and will not help in making any more bloody war history in the future- Public officers and rulers will have to cater to the needs of the people and render efficient service to maintain their positions. The European war was probably not started because anybody wanted war, but rather because of the determination of each nation to protect its interests, and the failure of diplomacy to reconcile these conflicting interests. Diplomats should not be blamed entirely for the war, for their task is often like that of trying to appease two dogs'hav- ing hold of the same piece of meat. To prevent the conflicting interests of nations from ending in war an effective international government is nec- esssary. 18 I 6. FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT WORLD-LIFE. N order that people may not engage in blind strife, it is necessary that the facts and figures about world-life be known so that people may see where the real difficulties lie. People and na- tions too often blame each other for evil conditions when it is really their false view of life and their false social philosophy which are mostly at fault. I shall give only a few statements on this sub- ject here, as I have in preparation a larger work with the title: The Race Problems; An Essay Concerning the Destiny of Mankind. In that work I shall discuss the race problems in considerable detail, and also outline a plan for an international government. In the following I shall state only a few of the salient conclusions, without attempt- ing to prove them in detail. After all available land is brought under in- tensive cultivation, the earth can probably not support to advantage more than twice the present population on an American or European standard of living. The area of the land surface of the earth is about 52 million square miles, of which not more than about 40 per cent, or 13,300 million acres, will ever be available for the production of food. Of these 13,300 million acres, it will take an average of five acres (two under cultivation) to supply one adult with adequate food, or an 19 average of four acres per inhabitant. For in- stance, for bread alone, with wheat at 15 bushels per acre (and the average yield in the United States fell far below this in the year 1916), a per- son requires more than one-third acre. For meat the largest area is required. We may also look at the problem as to how many people the earth can support in a perspec- tive way. Suppose that there had been no Ameri- can Continent, but that the land area of the world had consisted only of the Old World. Could all the people of the earth live on the Eastern Hemi- sphere at present? Could they produce enough food? I believe they could if all available land of the Eastern Hemisphere were intensely culti- vated ; but in Asia millions have died, at intervals in the past, from starvation or have fallen a prey to diseases because of under-nutrition. For pur- poses of discussion in social and political subjects, it is not prudent to assume that the earth can sup- port to advantage more than twice the present population- There is no use to build castles in the air about this question and let the people stagger blindly into disastrous famines and wars. The question is not just what the utmost pos- sible limit is that the earth can support, but rather, how many people can live to advantage or how many can live a life worth the living on the earth? On an Asiatic standard of living considerably more people can live on the earth than on the American standard. Every person ought to have 20 a nice home and be abundantly supplied with the necessities and comforts of life. Probably more than one-half of the people can be considered as not living to advantage at the present time. The United States can probably not support to advantage over 300 million people on its soil products. In the year 1915 the population of the United States reached 100 million. During the decade 1900-1910 the population of the United States increased 21 per cent. If the population of the United States continues to increase at the rate of 21 per cent, per decade, the population of the United States will reach 300 million in 58 years. (This calculation is made easiest with the use of logarithms: viz., 100 (J.21) 1 = 300; t = 5.8 decades). The natural rate of increase — the increase due to the excess of births over deaths — of the white population of the United States during the decade 1900-1910 was 15 per cent. (See 13th Cen- sus Report, Vol. I, page 127.) Population increas- ing at the rate of 15 per cent, per decade will double in number every 50 years. Observation and statistics show that some classes of the popu- lation increase at a rate at which population doubles in 25 years. How is this increasing popu- lation going to find subsistence on the earth? Consider the following calculation. At pres- ent the population of the earth is estimated to be 1,700 million; the area of the earth's land surface is about 52 million square miles; consequently tfcere are an average of 33 persons to every square nine, it the present population would double 21 every fifty years, then in 830 years the population of the earth would reach the stupendous figure of 170,000,000,000,000, which equals the number of square yards of land surface on the earth- From the foregoing figures it is evident that even if the earth could support four or five times the present population, the ability of population to increase exceeds all possible bounds of food supply and, in fact, exceeds standing room on the earth. Such calculations give us the proper out- look on such subjects as overpopulation, increas- ing cost of living, poverty, want and consequent disease, crime and war. It is evident that the cost of living will continue to increase until the poorer classes of people in the cities will be subject to starvation. It is shown by Darwin, Haeckel and other biologists that the rapid increase in numbers is an important factor in the evolution of organ- isms, and it is a necessary factor in the displace- ment of lower grades of organisms by higher. All people are not equal in physical, intellect- ual and esthetic qualities nor in the value of their lives. Some people are superior than others in these respects. It is quite evident (unless we be- lieve in the pessimism of Schopenhauer) that the value of life rises with the advance in civilization and that the value of the life of a civilized and cultured person exceeds greatly the value of the life of a rude and savage person. When the millennium is reached a stationary 22 population, homogeneous in race, will be the nor- mal condition. 7. THE NEW WORLD-RELIGION. OF paramount importance are the facts about the limits of the food supply of the earth and the ability of population to increase. These are as important in sociology as the opera- tion of addition is to mathematics ; yet they are al- most entirely neglected. There exists a ' ' Tower of Babel" of literature on social and political sub- jects, built without a secure foundation, and con- sequent confusion prevails. In the face of the facts and figures of world- life, the outlook for the future of mankind is pes- simistic and dismal indeed from the prevalent views of life ; consequently, strenuous efforts have been made to deny or avoid these facts, but the will is powerless to change facts, and the denial of facts leads only to disasters. Optimism has been heralded almost as a virtue ; but for a person who has knowledge of facts and figures optimism is impossible. It lies beyond the power of one's will to be optimistic when one foresees (on the basis of figures) what is coming. However, what is required in the solution of the world-problems and the avoidance of world-perils is neither pes- simism nor optimism but knowledge and fore- sight. To prevaricate or ignore facts and to steer 23 blindly into the future is just as deplorable as to steer a passenger ship through arctic regions and deny or ignore the existence of icebergs. It has, indeed, been painful for me to behold how the ship of destiny of mankind has been steered recklessly and blindly into the unknown sea of the future. There arises, however, the scientific or Mon- istic view of life and the new World-Religion which gives us the solution to the world-problems and gives us hope and optimism. The name of the new World-Religion is Monism, meaning oneness or unity. The salient features of Monism are : It is based on scientific facts; it is consistent with observation and experience and harmonizes with science. It is scientific and rejects all "historical authorities" as evidence of truth or as proving anything. In place of dogmas it has axioms. It is not dogmatic but positive. All useful know- ledge is positive. On all unsolved problems it is agnostic; when solved, however, the answer is positive. Monistic Philosophy has not yet solved all problems, but I am happy to announce that the method by which the solution of all problems may be attained is now completely and definitely un- derstood. There only remains the task of doing the necessary mental and physical work. There is nothing new about this method; it is the method by which all useful and scientific knowledge has been obtained. This method is effort; namely, mental and physical work in agreement with the laws of nature. If work is done contrary to the 24 laws of nature it will be fruitless or disastrous. In agriculture, in mechanical arts, in science, in medicine, and in all the ordinary pursuits of life this method is applied with considerable correct- ness by most people ; but when it comes to sociol- ogy, ethics and religion, the will interferes with most people 's thinking and hinders them from do- ing correct mental work. People wish to over- come obstacles and evils they do not like to face by the will or by denying their existence or they wish to avoid the effort of overcoming them. The evils are in the world as spurs to cause us to make ef- fort, and effort causes the physiological develop- ment of the brain and body. Evolution is a fact of observation; all reput- able biologists are agreed on this; and Lamarck and Darwin explained the factors causing evolu- tion. According to Monistic Philosophy, the laws of nature are the laws of God, and evolution is the creative plan of God. To state that evolution is God's creative plan is the same thing as stating, the world is as we observe it to be, which is axio- matic. The divine plan of God is to perfect organ- ic life on this earth by evolution. For this pur- pose organisms are endowed with the ability to multiply rapidly. The struggle for existence and the evils encountered are the incitement and spurs for causing organisms to act and make effort, and effort causes their physiological development and perfection. In this struggle for existence it lies 25 in the plan that the fittest should displace the others. To attempt to overcome evils by prevaricat- ing facts is to attempt to frustrate the plans of God and will be of disastrous consequences to the race. The Great War could probably have been avoided by facing the facts and figures about world-life bravely. At least, the war appears very stupid in the face of these facts. Monism furnishes the method for bringing all people to the same view of life and for uniting all religions into one. In truth there is oneness; the truth and the laws of God are unalterable and eternal. These conclusions are of the nature of axioms derived from everyday experience. If we have the method of attaining the truth, we must all come to the same views by attaining the truth. This method of attaining the truth is most clearly applied in mathematics. We begin, therefore, with mathematics and the facts of everyday experience. I must, however, desist here from developing this theme any further as the aim is to have this pam- phlet very brief. There are people of dogmatic religion who in- sist that they have the true view of life, and that if all people are to be united in truth all people must adopt their belief; but if these people will compare their religion with other dogmatic re- ligions, they will see that they are in a different ship, but sailing on the same stream as the other religions. 26 On matters of history agreements can never be reached, as it is impossible to prove or dis- prove the truth of historical statements in a direct way. The usual way to prove historical state- ments is to quote more history and this is as un- satisfactory as attempting to prove an assertion by another assertion. As stated before, Monism rejects all so-called "historical authorities" and the Bible as evidence of truth. We have greater prophets among us today than in biblical times- Ministers need not fear at all that the new religion will upset the truth ; for it lies beyond the power of mankind to create truth; our power lies in discovering the truth. The ideals of Monism are truth, goodness and beauty, and we take over into our new relig- ion all the truthful and good things, wherever we find them, whether in the Bible, the Koran, in science or in the lectures of Ingersoll. Thus only can all mankind be united in truth. Ministers need not fear that they will lose their means of livelihood through the new re- ligion. There will be need of all the ministers to preach the new religion and the correct views of life. The Unitarian and Universalist churches are already in close agreement with Monism. The membership of these churches consists of educated and liberal minded people. These churches lay more importance than Monism on the study of the Bible. Monism lays more importance on the study 27 of natural science and useful knowledge. It lays particular stress on hygiene and on a rational healthy mode of living- that will insure a happy life. Works that are prophetic and point out the direction for Christianity to take are the follow- ing :— The New World-Life and The New World- Religion, by Rev. Josiah Strong. The Religion of the Future, by Charles W. Eliot. Monism as a Connecting Link Between Re- ligion and Science, by Ernst Haeckel. # * # In view of the facts and figures of world-life, the only plan for attaining permanent peace that appears promising is the plan for the establish- ment of an international government, and even this will not assure permanent peace unless the Monistic Philosophy of life is adopted and brought into operation. 8. THE IDEALS OF MONISM. MONISM furnishes us ideals and optimism that should satisfy the most idealistic and optimistic. The optimism of Monism is that we can overcome most of the evils of life, and that if we make the proper effort, according to God's will, to overcome the evils, it will cause the com- plete mental and physical development of man- 28 kind: this being attained, evil will no longer be necessary in the world and man will guide his development and maintain perfection by the intel- lect. To attain this most rapidly, we must bring our will in accord with the will of God and work in accordance with God's creative plan. Much has already been accomplished in re- moving the evils from life and in making life bet- ter. Indeed, the only object of science can be to make life better and happier. Wars are mostly due to the volition of man and can be avoided. While it will probably be impossible to overcome all evils entirely on this shabby, hilly earth, yet we can reduce the evils to such an extent that life will be worth while to live. The belief that the evils and miseries of life can never be overcome ; that wars, diseases, crime, poverty and want will continue in the future as in the past is fatalism. Many persons who claim to be idealists and who set their faith on a blessed place of peace after death are fatalists in regard to earthly life. The belief in fatalism is detrimen- tal toward progress in overcoming the evils of life. The ideals of Monism are, to eliminate the evils from life, and to bring about a state of so- ciety in which all people will be tolerably, equally well supplied with material goods. Another ideal is to work in agreement with the evolutionary creative plan of God and favor and foster the im- provement and increase of the higher grades of people ; to favor the development of a race of peo- 29 pic of high-grade intellectual, physical, esthetic and moral qualities. It must, however, be stated positively here that this ideal does not mean or require that we trample on lower or inferior grades of people. The present war is a crushing blow to the fondest ideals of Monism, for in it some of our highest and best types of people are cruelly ex- terminated. The war does not lead to the surviv- al of the higher grades, and even if it did it would not be justified. People equally advanced in civil- ization and in intellectual and physical develop- ment fight each other, and just because of this fact the war is so severe and destructive. 9. A FEW WORDS TO PEACE ADVOCATES. IN criticising peace advocates in the following I do it as an ardent friend to the cause of peace. The peace propaganda has doubtless done much good toward creating favorable public opin- ions; but greater good could have been done by stating the facts and figures of world-life clearly. Indeed, much harm has been done to the cause of peace and to the cause of general welfare by at- tempting to prevaricate facts. When we get over the bad habit of attempting to deny callous facts Ave don't like to face; and when we discard that preposterous opinion that a good cause can be 30 helped by evading or denying unpleasant facts, we will have made a great gain toward bringing our will in accord with the will of God and will make rapid progress toward eliminating the evils from life. We Monists have drawn the conclusion that it is better to know the most unpleasant truths than to believe the most pleasant falsities, for falsities lead to pitfalls and misery. Without accurate knowledge it is not possible to overcome the evils of life. Sentiments not under the con- trol of reason will accomplish evil. In A Primer of the Peace Movement by Lucia Ames Mead, a work which is supposed to give us a sort of review of the peace movement, we find this statement: — ' 1 The earth is very sparely settled, and is in- calculably rich in resources. We have only begun to see the possibilities of scientific farming. All the population of the globe could be put into Texas and allow a half acre to each family." To put the entire population of the earth into the state of Texas would make 10 inhabitants to the acre. From the census of 1910, the number of inhabitants in the metropolitan district of New York City was 10.5 to the acre. By a little figuring it is evident that the state of Texas might be suf- ficiently large to afford dwelling room for the en- tire population of the earth ; at any rate, it would make a gigantic city, and there would be no room left to cultivate any crops. Peace advocates seem to fear that by stating 31 the limit of the number of people the earth can support, the nations would go to war to kill off the surplus population. This, however, is not a mo- tive for the present war even in a remote way. Wars are due to nationalism and commercialism. Nationalism looks upon a rapid increase of popu- lation as something very desirable and on a de- crease in the birth-rate as a national calamity. Another fact which peace advocates make strenuous efforts to deny absolutely is that there are differences in the races of mankind, and all arguments that there are vital differences are sup- posed to be invalidated by the term "race preju- dice." The fact, however, that there are differ- ences presents the ugliest and most difficult social problems, and the situation is only aggravated by denying facts. It lies beyond the scope of this pamphlet to develop this theme further and a few more remarks must suffice. In recognizing race differences it is not desirable to class mankind in- to more than about five races. Race classifications should be made on the basis of biological differ- ences. "Nationality" and "race" should not be confounded. In recognizing that some people and races are superior to others in intelligence, in physique, and in beauty, and that the life of the higher grades of people is worth more than that of the lower grades, it does not follow that the life of the inferior people is valueless or that tht v should be killed with the sword. Although it would be considerably better to see the inferior 32 types of people killed, than to see the superior types of people killed, as is taking place in the present war, the new religion with its sympathy, like Christianity, requires us to be kind to infer- ior races of people and also to lower animals. Any race or nationality attempting to kill another race or nationality would be showing moral and intellectual inferiority. Suppose there are differences in race; why harp on this theme, may be asked. It is necessary to recognize the race facts in order not to impose hardships upon the higher types of people by at- tempting to uplift the lower. The higher types are more sensitive to suffering than the lower. We have sometimes a choice only between two evils and in such cases we should choose the lesser evil. It is not such a great duty to do good as to avoid doing evil. For the sake of brevity much must be left un- explained in this pamphlet. A larger work is in preparation in which the race problems will be discussed in considerable detail. 10. THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR. TWEN- TY YEARS HENCE. IN twenty years the population of the United States will probably have reached 140 million. There will continue to be a rapid increase in population in South America, Canada, and Aus- 33 tralia. The population of England and of Europe in general will not have a corresponding rate of increase, especially not if this slaughtering war continues. Manufacturing will become more abun- dant in North and South America in the future. The significance of these facts is that the economic outlook, in the future, for England is not very- good. The United Kingdom supports at present a much larger population than for which ever enough food can be produced in the British Isles. England at present has large factories, the pro- ducts of which are shipped all over the earth. As manufacturing becomes more abundant in other countries, she will have the disadvantage of having to add shipping expenses to imports and exports. She will be able to maintain her trade effectively only in articles for which she has special natural resources or technical ability. Besides, it will be expensive to maintain the largest navy in the world. When the manufacturing industries of other countries are fully devolped the trade and wealth of England will fall. It is better if this overcrowding of England with factories and peo- ple is foreseen and that a proper distribution of the population over the earth take place. England has extensive colonies, but she can- not go very far in appropriating the wealth of these colonies by taxation without opposition aris- ing which would cause the division of the British Empire. The significance of the foregoing is: 1. That 34 it is useless for England and Germany to continue the war; two or three decades will efface any ad- vantages gained by a victory of either side. 2. It is unnecessary for Germany to attempt to conquer England ; time will accomplish that. 3. It is un- necessary for England to attempt to conquer Ger- many; England will not be able to maintain her power even if she does defeat Germany- The deep- er England goes in debt, in the present war, the sooner will her downfall come. England can best preserve her power by joining an International Government as outlined in the following article. If German militarism is a danger, its power must be destroyed by the Ger- man people themselves, by the progress of educa- tion and democracy and not by pitting the Ger- man, English and French people against each other. In England there has been talk even of con- tinuing the war for twenty years. Could anything more sad be imagined? In twenty years from now the largest part of the men in Europe past middle age will have died a natural death without being shot in war. In twenty years very few that handled the misshaped affairs that caused the war will still be living. If some of my remarks appear partisan for one side, it should be remembered that other re- marks seem partisan to the other side. I have nothing but pity for the people of Europe, and am 35 not interested in a victory of either side. I am only interested in a victory of humanity. 11. HOW PERMANENT PEACE MAY BE ATTAINED.* Introductory Note. — The nations of Europe claim that it is necessary to continue the war until their enemies are de- feated to assure permanent peace in the future. Permanent peace does not seem certain at all by the defeat of either side, nor does the defeat of either side seem possible, except at an indefensible sacrifice of life. Permanent peace seems possible only by the establishment of a World Court and a world executive power. To induce the nations of Europe to stop the war, I propose that plans for the establishment of a World Court be submitted to them. This article contains arguments for that purpose. PEACE treaties and optional arbitration give no sure promise that wars will not occur in the future when serious disputes arise be- tween nations. Preparation for war and a bal- ance of power have not proved effective in keep- ing peace. On the other hand, to persuade the na- tions to disarm is impossible. Peace between in- dividuals can be kept only by some form of gov- ernment. Peace between nations, likewise, seems *This article was published in The World Court, Octo- ber, 1916. Published by the World's Court League, 120 Broadway, New York. The World Court is a magazine de- voted to creating public opinion in favor of a World Court to settle disputes between nations. From the outlook fur- nished by the facts and figures of world-life The World's Court League and The League to Enforce Peace are advocat- ing plans for attaining peace and world order that are more feasible than those of any other peace society. 36 only attainable by some form of international government. Many people regard the preservation of the union of the United States worth the sacrifice of the tremendous number of lives that occurred dur- ing the Civil War. Many people regard the con- solidation of the German provinces to a united Germany, which was effected by* 'blood and iron," as something very desirable. Yet, these same peo- ple seem to regard with disfavor the consolida- tion of the nations of the world. Many people re- gard with aversion that their nation should join an international government. They think of that as something which would require their nation to relinquish its independence and sovereignty. World Court advocates think of an international government as a combination of the nations to co-operate to make earthly life better, to co-ope- rate to abolish wars and settle disputes peaceably. The nations joining to establish a World Court shall, of course, keep their own form of govern- ment and regulate their internal affairs according to their own methods. The international authori- ties should, however, control the seas and the in- ternational trade routes like the Suez and Pana- ma canals. The power of an international gov- ernment should be restricted to regulating trade and settling disputes between nations. The na- tions of the world cannot be induced to enter into such a close combination as the states of the Un- ion or the provinces of Germany; and such a close 37 union would not be desirable because of the great differences in the governments of the various na- tions (which it would not be the purpose of the in- ternational government to alter) and the nation- ality and race differences. To bind the nations to such limited independence as the states of the Union are bound together by the Constitution is neither possible nor desirable. A few students of world-problems, who re- gard an international government as a desirable and effective means of securing peace, believe that a combination of the nations can only be brought about after several terrible world wars after which the different nations will establish their rights in such a combination. We World Court ad- vocates believe in a sane and humane way of doing things; we believe that a combination of nations (limited, at first, to the nations most advanced in civilization) and the establishment of a World Court could be effected in a civilized way by the nations sending delegates to a conference to make agreements. It is safe to assume that the re- quirements of the nations in regard to trade, im- migration and extension of territory cannot differ very much; and if the nations are willing to put the same restrictions on themselves that they de- mand of other nations and to give the same liber- ties to other nations that they demand for them- selves, then the nations can surely find a basis of agreement, Agreements can, of course, only be 38 arrived at on the basis of the Golden Rule, and a certain amount of good-will. In the past, nations have grown in size largely through conquest and annexation of territory. Consolidation has been effected largely by "blood and iron." The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente were effected by peaceful agreements to secure protection against an opponent or to se- cure a balance of power. Such alliances are stable only as long as the interests of the nations con- cerned run together. To make a combination of nations binding they should own property, terri- tory and armaments of war in common. To form a world combination by peaceful agreements and thus end war is the only way worthy of nations composed of human beings that consider themselves civilized. A precedent is found in the combination of the thirteen American Colonies to form the United States. The strong- est incentive for the American Colonies to com- bine was to secure peace among themselves and to secure protection against the aggression of Euro- pean powers. The main inducement to cause the nations to combine is to secure protection against the common enemy of the life and happiness of mankind, the enemy which leads the people into a whirlpool of destruction and death — Mars. Other inducements and advantages are, the limitation of armaments ; the control of the seas and the trade routes by the nations jointly; the securing of jus- tice to the people of all nations, etc. 39 To induce the people to form an international government and a World Court is a large and dif- ficult task — a task like building a Panama Canal, and the procedure must be analogical. First, careful plans must be drawn; then the plans should be supported and advocated by public men whose opinions and views are looked upon as authoritative. The press, of course, is a main fac- tor in helping the movement. In the United States the plan for a world organization should finally receive the support of the President and of Con- gress. The United States could most effectively take precedence in this movement. In attempting to establish an international government the following reasoning deserves con- sideration. The combination should, at first, be limited to the United States and the chief civilized nations of Europe to secure good and able men as leaders to formulate the international laws. Also if all the nations of the world would be invited, it would be very difficult or probably impossible to come to agreements. The United States, England and Germany should first come to agreements on preliminary points as to the plan of organization, and should' then invite France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium to join. These nations (excepting the three smallest ones) are powerful military nations. Peace can be at- tained and kept only when the nations and the men of good-will hold the balance of power. If the civilized nations named ruled the earth according 40 to just principles, the International Government will be stable ; if injustice prevails we may expect revolts. After the International Government is established all the nations of the world may be invited to join. Representation in the International Govern- ment should be proportional to the literate males of voting age, as suggested by Roger W. Babson in his book, "The Future of World Peace." This would make representation roughly in proportion to the military strength of each nation. If a na- tion can secure as much by representation as by military force, it will not be inclined to resort to such force. The United States, England and Ger- many should have an equal number of representa- tives to make the plan acceptable to these three nations. The combination of nations can be made bind- ing and mutual confidence can be established by the nations owning property, territory and arma- ments in common. This common possession should be entirely under the control of the International Government. To this common possession should belong the international trade routes like the Suez and Panama canals. The United States, England and Germany should consign to the International Government possessions of equal value and the smaller nations, in proportion to representation. There are two chief objections made by Americans against the plan of the United States joining with the European powers in a world or- 41 ganization; first, that it is against our Monroe Doctrine; second, that it is against the good ad^ vice of George Washington. Since it is desirable to have all peace advocates join forces to work for a practical plan of bringing about peace, an expla- nation is in order here. The nations of the world will doubtless de- sire to keep their colonial possessions, and would not be required to relinquish their control over their colonies in joining an International Govern- ment ; but the International Government would proclaim as a doctrine that no nation shall in fu- ture subjugate or take control of any independent nation. The International Government would, then, proclaim a sort of Monroe Doctrine over the entire earth and our Monroe Doctrine would be no longer necessary. Every American appreciates the good advice of George Washington to keep free from entang- ling European alliances. We World Court advo- cates interpret the advice of George AVashington to apply to such alliances as the Triple Alliance and the' Triple Entente and even to a badly organ- ized combination of the nations ; we do not inter- pret the advice to apply to the formation of a world organization, planned with knowledge and foresight, to secure permanent peace. It is not probable that Washington had meant his Farewell Address (given 120 years ago) to refer to a world organization at a time when there was no prospect of such a thing. * * * 42 The task of peace advocates is to plan and propose a system of international government ac- ceptable to the people and governing classes of the various nations, but which will be, at the same time, based on just and equitable principles. World organization must surely come in the future, and we pray and hope that the time will come soon when we will have an equitable inter- national government which will enhance the pro- gress and well-being of mankind. 12. A PRAYER FOR ENLIGHTENMENT AND PEACE This is a Monistic prayer. It cannot fail to have a valuable effect upon any person reciting it. According to Monism it is God's will that we make effort to acquire intelligence, and God will bestow intelligence upon us if we pray for and make effort to acguire intelligence. O Creator of the world and of life ; thou who hast endowed us with intelligence ; we pray thee, give us more intelligence and enlight- enment. We pray thee especially to give us the intelligence to see the folly and illusion of engage- ing in disastrous conflicts. Remove from us the delusion of hate. Remove from us the delusion that anything good can come out of the war or that it is necessary or unavoidable. Make us realize that we are engaged in a blind work of butchery. Forgive us our sins for the lack of ef- fort—as thy will requires it— to have acquired the 43 intelligence to see that it is to our own benefit to- live in peace with our neighbor and our neighbor- ing nations. Make us realize that the war is a punishment for the lack of effort to have acquired the necessary intelligence. Merciful God ! Give us in the future as incentives rather ideals and objects to be attained than evils as spurs to cause us to make effort. We pray thee, give us the intelli- gence to bring the cruel war to a speedy close and to unite the nations to co-operate and help each other make earthly life better and happier. 13. MONISTIC IDEALS. A Loftier Race These things shall be ! A loftier race Than e'er the world hath known shall rise,. With flame of freedom in their souls And light of knowledge in their eyes. They shall be gentle, brave and strong, Not to spill human blood, but dare All that may plant man's lordship firm On earth and fire and sea and air. New arts shall bloom, of loftier mold, And mightier music thrill the skies ; And every life shall be a song, When all the earth is paradise. — John Add hi gton Symonds. 44 The following verses from In Memoriam, by Alfred Tennyson, express the ideals of the new World-Religion beautifully and magnificently. Every man, woman and child should learn these verses by heart and sing or recite them occasional- ly as an expression of his or her ideals. Ring in the Millennium. Ring out the old, ring in the new; Ring, happy bells, with mellow tone ; The lofty new ideals make known; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more ; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out a slowly dying cause And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Ring out false pride in place and blood The civic slander and the spite ; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good. 45 Ring out old shapes of foul disease, Ring out the narrowing Inst of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valient man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.* > f *Verses taken from the work of Alfred Tennyson by permission of The Maemillan Company. The second and third lines in the first stanza have been altered. The original were, "Ring, happy bells, across the snow; The year is going, let him go." The other poetic selections in this pamphlet are from the bulletin, The Promotion of Peace, distributed by The American School Peace League. TO overcome the evils of life it is necessary to grapple with the hard callous facts. Anyone wishing to help the good work and distribute copies of this pamphlet may obtain them at the following prices. Single copy, 20 cents; 10 copies, $1.50; 100 copies, $12.00. Postpaid. Address: P. F. Schulte, Box 43, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.